I don't like the 4.1.0 firmware. I want to go back. I saw on a thread some boast that following the debricking thread would be simple to follow to accomplish such a goal (another poster wanted to do the same thing).

I find it far from simple. I am using 64 bit Windows 7, and for my goal and my platform and my kindle I would need to synthesize instructions from multiple sources. I find that very difficult because of the poor way that the instructions have been written. Now you are all amazingly dedicated and smart people for figuring out all of these hacks and sharing them freely and with great effort to the community... so take this as friendly, constructive criticism because I truly think that you guys are awesome.

For the multiple times that the reader is warned to think or to use their brain in following the instructions I find such commands difficult to follow. The reason is that the software and commands to be used are given without explanation of what they do, why you are doing it and what is specific to the platform or device.

There are multiple instructions for accomplishing different hacks with different OSs, different kindles, but at the end it is very hard to figure out the reasoning behind the instructions. For instance what is fast boot? when do you use it? why do you use it? Ditto for select boot. Are the commands for unix based shells or dos? Are any parts of the instruction specific to the file structure of a specific kindle? etc etc etc

What steps do I use from what guides to accomplish my goals and why?

I want specific help for my problem, but I also want you devs to consider a large rewrite of your debricking and hacking guides. Something along the lines of

"If you are using Windows you must first install blah because of blah follow these links and come back. Else if you are using a Mac... else if you are using linux/bsd... if you use a Kindle 3 you need these tools because of blah, follow these links then come back, else if you have a kindle 4... else if you have a kindle touch... if you need to debrick then... else if skip to this section..."

Just some kind of broad logical flow that incorporates the large collection of knowledge that I don't know or understand but you do with ease. For me I can't even figure out what is specific to 32 bit xp and what applies to all windows, and what programs I need to actually use since I'm not starting with a bricked kindle.

Please don't defend the how to guides. If you're fine with them, they're yours. I just want help with my specific problem and you to consider what I've said as input. Please help me, and thank you for all of the effort you've put into master manipulation of kindles.

The problem is with 64-bit windows. You need to reboot it with boot options to allow installing and using unsigned device drivers. It is MUCH easier to do it on 32-bit windows (or in a 32-bit windows Virtual Machine running insted 64-bit windows or linux).

Feel free to write a "how to revert a K4 to 4.0.0 guide", and please post it back to the forum (and index wikis). Thanks.

The information is spread out because it evolved over a period of time, during which it expanded to include newer and simpler methods, newer tools, and to cover more firmware versions. Each new firmware update required additional instructions to overcome the new problems it brings with it.

The instructions attempt to be GENERAL, to be a guide to help you LEARN how to debrick your kindle. The "simple debricking" method involves flashing (mostly) unhacked firmware images instead of difficult case-specific repairs. These methods have even been extended to successfully debrick K3s (replacing MfgTool with Advanced Toolkit).

To have separate guides for EACH firmware version of EACH kindle model would lead to people using the wrong guide. We already have cases of people trying to flash K5 diag kernels on top of K4 main partitions. It would be worse with too many guides to choose from (especially if the user does not know what firmware version is on his bricked kindle).

Better to just flash the oldest known good firmware and upgrade later.

Besides, there are reports that people have had trouble with the 4.0.1 firmware images, so you really should start with 4.0.0 anyway.

1. Allow Windows 7 to use unsigned device drivers
2. Use the 4.0.0 firmware
3. Follow all of the the instructions from the newbs guide changing any references to the KT firmware to the K4 firmware.
4. If successful write up what I did.

3. I downloaded Kindle Select Boot from http://www.mobileread.com/forums/att...6&d=1329798296. Kindle Select Boot provides a utility called mfgtool which seems to be used to upload a diagnostic utility or a kindle flash utility onto the kindle so that the kindle can run diagnostic tests or have the firmware or kernel replaced even if the device has been bricked. It is similar to using a linux live cd to test a pc or wipe the hd and replace it with a different OS.

4. To use the mfgtool correctly, you have to switch the kindle to usb recovery mode while plugged in, which is accomblished by holding down the power key until the led switches off, and WHILE HOLDING DOWN ON THE POWER KEY, push on the down button the 5-way controller. Then you let go of the power key. Windows will download and install generic HID drivers for the kindle in this mode and voila mfgtools will recognize the kindle. If you select kindle diag and then start the diagnostic firmware is uploaded and the kindle starts with those options.

6. In order for fastboot to work properly with the kindle, windows needs additional library sources, called libusb-win32-bin-1.2.6.0 despite being 32 bit drivers, they are supposed to work with 64 bit Windows (in fact anything past 1.2.0 works with 64 win 7). Download link is here: http://www.mediafire.com/?yb8fbasxw002arj. Following the instructions here I managed to install the filter drivers which allowed me to run fastboot (with no options) without any errors:http://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/libusb-win32/wiki. I don't have the device drivers installed yet but the instructions are there.

To proceed forward???:

Fastboot method:
a. Generate an inf file, using some kind of wizard or use http://www.mediafire.com/?t8myi35pk6323h2 but edit it to replace it with my device id which can be found from the filter device install mentioned above. The inf file I believe is just a script telling where to install libraries for the driver files to work as part of Windows.
b. Once again use mfgtools to start up kindle fastboot, and then from a dos prompt use fastboot to flash the kindle with the 4.0.0 image.

Diag Method:
Mfgtools can boot up the kindle into a diagnostic utilities. If you can use that to dump and run a shell script as the select boot thread suggests, shouldn't you be able to do one that flashes the firmware onto the kindle? Does such a script already exist?

Alright I used the inf wizard utility that comes with the lib-usb download. As long as I force the kindle to be in usb recovery mode it makes and installs the correct driver.

I adopted the flashing instructions from the noob guide (as well as copying the img file back over) and did the whole n-u-z-x thing and the kindle displays as usb ethernet/rndis gadget. Unfortunately I CANNOT set the IP address, despite the fact that it correctly appears as a network adapter in Windows devices manager. There is a "netword address" field which doesn't allow the full address that the noob guide wanted, but trying a shorter address I can't ssh into the kindle (using putty).

So that is where I am at now-- I have it up to the kindle acts like a network adapter but I can't set the ip address nor can I ssh in.

The host PC USB network interface is independent of any other network device on your host PC. It needs to have its own unique IP subnet (not used on any other network interface on the host PC). You need to manually assign the IP address to 192.168.15.201 on the USB network (RNDIS interface) on the host PC. Then you should see the kindle after NUZX. SSH to root@192.168.15.244, and use the root pw (either "mario" or "fionaXXX" computed from your serial number). There is a web page that computes the fionaXXX password (listed in the tools index wiki).

That is the IP address of your windows end of the cable.
Bet you can't reach mobileread by pointing your browser at your windows network address either.
Try ssh'ing to the address of the other end (the Kindle end) of the cable.

Geekmaster I don't understand your post and I've read it several times now. What is a "usb network interface"? And more specifically what is it called and how do I access it in Windows 7? How do I assign IP addresses on the USB network? And how does it differ from assigning IP addresses on the network as a whole?

In Windows 7 there is exactly one place for networks and all network are displayed there. And I cannot change the IP address for my home network, that has to be set automatically else I lose my internet connection (I tried it anyway and it didn't change anything).

I have this problem that even setting the IP address for the rdnis gadget, checking ipconfig it shows that it completely ignored my settings. If I ssh into what the IP should be, it times out. If I ssh into what ipconfig tells me the address is, the connection is immediately refused.

That is the IP address of your windows end of the cable.
Bet you can't reach mobileread by pointing your browser at your windows network address either.
Try ssh'ing to the address of the other end (the Kindle end) of the cable.

192.168.15.244 is what the kindle says. So are you saying that is the IP address for my computer as the kindle sees it? Then what should I set... oh I think I get it hold on. I should set the address of the kindle to something different and then ssh into that #, is that the idea?